Chicken-coop door.



No. 788,972. PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905. W. MUNSTERMANN.

CHICKEN COOP DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.6,1904.

awmwitoz W Murqat ermann.

Ellilto awmg are. 783,972.

HE STATES Patented February 28, 1905.

PATENT were,

CHlGKEN-COOP DOOR...

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,972, dateclFebruary 28, 1905.

Application filerlseptemher 6, l904| Serial No, 223,453.

will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention is an improved chicken-com door; and it consists in theconstruction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved chicken-coop doorhaving a wicket, locking means therefor, and a trip-bar forming a perchadapted to be operated by the first fowl that leaves the-coop, so as tocause the wicket to be opened to release the other fowls.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of a chicken-coopprovided with a door embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view of the same, taken on the plane indicated by the line a aof Fig. 1. Fig. is an elevation of the inner side of the door. Fig. 4 isa horizontal sectional View taken on the plane indicated by the line IY; of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing a portion of thedoor, the wicket provided with the shoulder, the spring to raise thewicket, and the catch between which and the shoulder the spring by itstension creates such lriction as to enable the catch to support theperch-bar in its elevated position, said figure omitting the lock-flangewhich covers said shoulder and the engaging ends of said catch, whichlock-ilai'ige is shown at 9 in the other figures ot the drawings.

The coop (indicated at 1) may be of any suitable construction. The lowerportion of the door 2 of the coop is closed by a door 3, having anopening in its lower side and a wicket 5 for closing said opening. Saidwicket is here shown as disposed on the outer side of the door 3 and aspivoted, as at 6, to a metal lic bar 7, which bar is secured to theouter side of the door. On the side of the wicket opening 4 opposite thebar 7 are a bar 8 and same is here shown as being disposed on the innerside of the door and is pivoted at one end, as at 14; but thisarrangement may be modified without departing from the spirit of myinvention. The perch is connected by a rod 15 to the catch 12. At theupper side of the door, on the inner side thereof, is a keeper 16,having an opening 17 for the insertion of a pin 18, which when it isplaced in said opening bears under the perch-bar to prevent the samefrom operating. \V hen it is desired to operate the device, the said pinis removed from the said opening, as here shown.

The operation of my device is as follows: At night after the chickenshave gone into the coop the wicket 5 is closed and the perchbar 13raised above the upper edge of the door, thus causing the rod 15 to movethe :atch to the position required to engage the shoulder 11 of thewicket and lock the wicket. The tension ol the spring creates suchlriction between the shoulder ll and the catch 12 as to cause the catch,through the rod 15, to support the perch-bar in its elevated position.The door only closes the lower portion ol the doorway, leaving anopening above the door, which is of sul'licient height to prevent theentrance 01 rats, weasels, and other noxious animals into the coop. inthe morning the first chicken that leaves the coop dies to the upperside of the door and alights on the perch-bar l3, hence by its weightdepressing the perch-bar and operating the catch 12 to cause the catchto release the wicket 5, whereupon the spring 10 opens the wicket, thusenabling the smaller fowl to readily leave the coop through the opening4.

My improved door isparticularly useful on coops which are employed forprotecting hens and broods of young chickens, as it efiectually preventsthe young chickens from leaving the coop until afte r the hen has doneso and causes the hen when leaving the coop to release the youngchickens, so that they can go with her.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without rewicket, a catch to secure thewicket when lowered, a vertically-movable perch at the upper 1 side ofthe door, and a rod connecting the perch and the catch.

2. The combination of a door having a vertically-movable Wicket, aspring to raise the wicket, a catch to secure the wicket when lowered, avertically-movable perch at the upper side of the door, and a rodconnecting the perch and the catch.

3. The combination of a door having a pivoted verticallymovable wicket,a spring to raise the wicket, a catch to secure the wicket when lowered,a vertically-movable perch at the upper side of the door, and a rodconnecting the perch and the catch.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand inpresence of twosubscribing witnesses.

.VHLLIAM MUNSTERMANN. itnesses:

V. R. JONES, JOHN DINGMAN.

